Holder for writing pad



Jan. 1, 1957 0. K. HOBBS HOLDER FOR WRITING PAD Filed Dec. 27, 1954 Fig.3

Oscar K. Hobbs INVENTOR.

HOLDER FOR WRITING PAD Oscar K. Hobbs, Abilene, Tex.

Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 47 7,854

2 Claims. (Cl. 281-15) The present invention relates to a novel holderfor a relatively small-size writing pad or a pack or plurality of blankcards, index size, and has more particular reference to a sheet metal orequivalent lightweight and durable holder which is such that it may behandily and accessibly carried on ones person due to the fact that it ispocket-size and is consequently aptly usable for tak- "nited StatesPatent ing down notes or eiiectually referring to already prepared notesor equivalent memoranda.

Stated otherwise, the invention has to do with a holder for a pack ofsheets, cards, or a small-size so-called scratch pad and whoseconstruction is such that it will function to maintain the sheets neatlyand snugly in place down to the last sheet and will also furnish, whatis just as important, a firm backing surface for handy writing purposes.

Another object of the invention has to do with a practical and expedientholder for a memo pad or equivalent means which is of one-piececonstruction and quite simple and economical, furnishes a smooth backingor writing surface, and will serve to hold from one sheet to a full packof sheets without requiring the sheets to be perforated.

Another object of the invention has to do with a holder which permitssheets to be quickly arranged or rearranged in any order, requires aminimum amount of space when carried in ones pocket or in a handbag orpurse, as the case may be, and will fit neatly in a filing case designedfor holding the same.

Briefly and stated somewhat more from a structural standpoint, theinvention appertains to a pocket-size holder for a readily insertableand removable writing pad, conventional-type index cards or the like,comprising a flat smooth-surfaced backing plate rigid and generallyrectangular in plan and provided along opposite longitudinal edges withcooperating flanges bent relative to each other and said plate anddefining and providing channelshaped pad receiving and retaining tracks,said plate having an upstanding centrally disposed ear-like bend at onetransverse end providing a stop shoulder, and being provided at itsother transverse end with a centered finger clearance notch and onopposite sides of said notch with tongue-like extensions bent laterallyand downwardly and providing pad piloting elements assisting in guidingand positioning the pad into said holder.

A highly important feature has to do with spring fingers incorporated inthe holder to serve as handy and accessible sheet or card holding clipsand which maintain constant pressure and retaining contact with thesheets in situations where they are torn off the pads and the thicknessof the pad is thus gradually reduced in a step-by-step manner.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying sheet ofillustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure l is a perspective view of a holder constructed 2,776,149Patented Jan. 1, 1957 in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view on the line2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing apad, or, alternatively, cards, in the holder for use; and

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows with the pad removed.

Referring now to the drawings with the aid of lead lines and referencenumerals, the holder, as a general article or entity, is denoted by thenumeral 6. It is preferably of sheet metal and comprises a rectangularbacking plate which is sometimes referred to as a platen and which hasperfectly smooth surfaces 8 and 10, particularly the upper surface 10which is employed as a backing or writing base for anywhere from one toa dozen or more index-size cards or a small memo pad made up of thinsheets of paper. Guide and retaining tracks are provided along theopposite lengthwise or longitudinal edges. These are identical inconstruction, and each track comprises a lateral vertical flange 12 anda complemental horizontal flange 14, the latter flange being bent inspaced parallelism over the surface 10 of the plate. These flangescooperate with the plate in providing channel-shaped open-ended tracksfor the memo pad or the cards 16, as illustrated in Figure 2. Beforefurther discussing these tracks, it is to be noted that there is alateral ear-like bend 18 at one transverse end 20 which serves as a stopshoulder and limits the sliding movement of the pad or cards in adirection from light to left in Figures 1 and 2. At the oppositetransverse end 22, there is a central finger or clearance notch 24 whichpermits one to have access to the bottornmost sheet or card, and onopposite sides of this are outstanding tongue-like extensions 2626 whichare flared or bent and thus deflected downwardly so that they assist inguiding or piloting the memorandum pad into the tracks.

One or more spring fingers or tongues will be provided to assist inclampingly but yieldingly holding the pads in the holder. These arepreferably of the form shown wherein it will be noticed that one endportion of the flange 12 is cut away to form what may be described as anarrow flange portion 28, a slot 30 and a bendable spring tongue orfinger 32. This is longitudinally bowed and the free end thereof is thuspressed or flexed toward the surface 10. These two fingers constitutewell positioned spring clips for holding the memo pad or cards in place.With this construction, if one pulls the pack of sheets approximatelyhalf-way out of the holder, it will be noted how easily the selected orpartly extracted sheet may be transferred to the back or bottom of thepack. Thus, if the cards are already marked, one may select a top card,bottom card or intermediate cards and shift them about and keep themsystematically in the holder. The spring clips will assure effectiveresults.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pocket-size holder for a readily insertable and removable writingpad, conventional-type index cards or the like, comprising a flatsmooth-surfaced backing plate, rigid and generally rectangular in planand provided along opposite longitudinal edges with cooperating verticaland horizontal flanges bent relative to each other and said plate anddefining and providing open ended channelshaped pad receiving andretaining tracks, said plate having an upstandingcentrally disposedear-like bend at one transverse end providing a stop shoulder, and beingprovided at its other transverse end with a centered finger clearancenotch and on opposite sides of said notch with tongue-like extensionsbent laterally and downwardly and providing pad piloting elementsassisting in guiding and positioning the'pad in said holder, therespective vertical flanges at the end of the plate adjacent to saidstop shoulder being provided with slots opening through the track-endsadjacent to said stop shoulder and providing lengthwise tongues, therespective tongues being resilient and longitudinally bowed in adirection toward the respective free end portions, said free endportions being curved downwardly and-into close proximity to thecooperating top surface of said plate and providing resilient padholding clips.

2. A pocket-size holder for a readily insertable and removable scratchpad or for conventional-type cards of index size comprising a backingplate having a smooth top surface usable for basing and backing :up saidscratch pad, said plate being rigid and generally rectangular in planand provided along its entire lengthwise edges with laterally bentvertical flanges which latter are, in turn, provided with integralhorizontally bent flanges directed toward each other and which overlieadjacent marginal Cir edge portions of the plate and cooperate therewithin defining open-ended channel-shaped tracks for reception and retentionof an insertable pad, the junctional bend between each vertical andhorizontal flange at one end portion of each channel-shaped track beingformed with a slot beginning at the approximate median portion of thetrack and extending lengthwise and opening through one open end of saidtrack whereby the cooperating half-portion of the horizontallflange isdisconnected from the vertical flange and is consequently transformedinto a tongue, the respective tongues being resilient and longitudinallybowed 'in' a direction toward their free outer ends, said free outerends being permanently curved into close proximity-with respect to theunderlying top surface of said plate and providing yieldable padholdingclips.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,349,935 Bender Aug. l7,'l920 1,537,641 Kristofek MayVlZ, I9251,834,284 Klyberg Dec. l, 1931 2,263,154 Witting Novl 18, 194i FOREIGNPATENTS 174,692 Great Britain Jan. 23, 1922 7 251,725 Great'Britain Mayl3, 1926

